Winter in National City
by potidaea
Summary: Various one-shots/drabbles based off prompts for the 2019 Advent Ficlet Challenge. Some chapters Rated M.
1. Snowflake

Prompt: Snowflake

Rating: K+

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* * *

Lena Luthor hated winter in National City. It was never cold enough. The snow was mere suggestion; scenery in the distant mountaintops or saccharine decorations in store windows on a sunny day. She missed the icy sidewalks of Metropolis...snow piled high in the park, crunching under her feet. The pure crisp smell of snow in the air when the temperature dropped enough.

And now, with this godforsaken heat wave it was all she could do to hope for rain. It hadn't dropped below 70 in weeks and she was exhausted. It was almost a week after Thanksgiving. She should be in pants with her thickest coat thrown over a sweater, not sweating through the lightest dresses in her closet.

Kara was kind enough to bring her iced coffee on her lunch break. She'd been coming by nearly every day since the heat spiked with the aforementioned beverage and whatever food Lena requested that day. They would lounge on the couch, giving Lena a brief respite from her endless work.

But this day was different. Kara insisted on sitting out on the balcony. They brought their sushi, ramen, and potstickers out to the small cafe table and indulged happily.

Amidst an animated discussion of her latest medical research project (she was _this_ close to finding a universal antioxidant and cancer vaccine in alien DNA), she froze. It was finally raining. The heat was breaking!

She beamed, sighing out a "finally."

Kara looked at her girlfriend, so relaxed and happy while the rain began to fall steadily on their shoulders. As the brunette gazed contentedly on the streets below, her opportunity arrived.

She blew a soft, steady gust of freeze breath just above their heads, enough to create a flurry of snowflakes.

"Kara...?" Lena looked over, delighted but confused.

She smiled bashfully. "I checked the weather before I came. I thought you might like some snow."

Lena leaned forward to kiss the Kyrptonian, smiling as she felt snow melting into her hair. "Thank you, darling. It's perfect."


	2. Wish

Prompt: Wish

Rating: T

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* * *

There was a new rule posted in the Alien Artifact Room at the DEO: _No Artifacts Leave The Artifact Room Without Written Approval_. Kara didn't mind.

It all started a week ago when Alex asked her to help identify a new shipment of artifacts the from Metropolis office. The first few were fairly basic communicators and no harm to the Earth. The aliens they were confiscated from probably missed them dearly.

Then, she saw them. Saturnian Love Stones. Clear, glowing blue...like little, swirling oceans. Her parents had a set from their honeymoon. Surely, the DEO wouldn't miss them? It was just a tchotchke. They held more sentimental value than power.

As Alex looked away, she slipped the stones into her pocket for safekeeping.

"You find anything?" Alex asked.

"Just more communicators," Kara lied.

They continued with their inventory. A stack of various laser rifles; a watch; a swallowable translator. It wasn't long before they finished with the pile and Kara needed to head back to CatCo.

The day was absolutely dragging. She just wanted to go home and stare at the glowing blue stones until she was transported back to Krypton. She sighed, gripping them in her pocket before turning back to her work. One more article about biodegradable utensils and then she could go home.

Finally, she was done. She made it back to her apartment and...there was Lena. She was cooking dinner?

"Lena? What are you doing here?" She asked in surprised confusion as she closed the door behind her.

The brunette smiled, stirring the vegetables on the pan. "Did you forget date night? That Dominator must have really hit your head."

Right. Date night. Her best friend who wasn't speaking to her was in her apartment making her dinner for date night. Her best friend who she was maybe possibly very in love with who wasn't speaking to her was in her apartment for date night. That date night. Date. Night.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Silly me!" _Call Alex? Call Alex._ "I'm going to get changed quick."

As she raced to the bathroom, she remembered her earlier conversation with Alex.

_"How are things with Lena?" She asked, concerned. "Have you talked to her?"_

_Kara shrugged, "She's never going to forgive me. What's the point?" She squeezed the stones in her pocket, remembering her parents' love, as she thought, sadly: I love her. _

It was the stones. They had done something. Lena was definitely not going to forgive her now.

Alex picked up on the third ring. "Alex! I...maybe lied before?" She winced.

"Kara, what?"

"Okay so do you know what a Saturnian Love Stone is?"

"No." Alex did not like where this was going.

"Well, apparently I don't either! And now Lena is in my apartment for date night and you need to fix it!"

Alex began to laugh at her sister's desperation.

"This isn't funny, Alex! She's gonna be pissed." Kara then heard her name from the kitchen. "I have to go, but do...I don't know, something."

Dinner was ready. Lena made them tofu stir fry with rice and it was absolutely delicious. The entire night was beyond Kara's wildest imaginations. Lena was so affectionate, so kind. She didn't mask her wandering eyes when Kara leaned forward to grab another serving. She asked endless questions about her day - not all that different from their usual conversations, but Kara missed her interest. The past month had been utterly desolate. She couldn't stand the thought that Lena didn't truly want to be there.

The next morning, she went straight to her mother's hologram at the DEO. It was the best Alex could come up with.

"Tell me everything you know about Saturnian Love Stones."

"Saturnian Love Stones. Created from lightening storms on the beaches of Saturn. They have telepathic properties and can be used to forge a greater bond in arranged marriages when both partners carry a split pair of Love Stones. If one partner holds a Love Stone and their partner is reactive, it is thought the bond is already present."

The bond is already present.

"How do you make sure? Do you give the other person the stone?" She needed to know.

"Sorry, that is all the information I have on Saturnian Love Stones."

Kara sighed, turning to leave. She had nothing to lose - either Lena was mad because she lied about Supergirl or Lena was mad because she lied about this.

When she arrived at L-Corp, Jess glared at her. Noted.

"Is Lena in?" She asked, hesitantly.

"Not for you," Jess stood her ground.

"Can you ask, please?" She smiled sweetly.

The receptionist picked up the phone, presumably dialing the CEO's number. A look of shock washed over Jess' face as Lena agreed to let the reporter into her office. "She's free." Her smile was forced.

"Thank you, Jess."

The Kryptonian made her way up to the large office, anxiety building in her chest. Pushing the door open, she poked her head in, "You have a minute?"

A wide, bright smile burst across the brunette's face, "Kara! Of course. Have a seat." She stood up, walking toward the couch on the far side of her office.

Reluctantly, Kara made her way to the couch. She took a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you."

Lena immediately looked anxious. She probably should have chosen her words more carefully.

"Um, it's not that. I mean, it _is_ that. Just…when did we start doing date nights?"

"Since we met, I guess. Why? Are you okay? Has Alex looked at your head?" She reached forward, cupping her hand against Kara's head as she searched her eyes for any sign of that she was concussed.

"I'm okay, Lena. I promise." She grabbed the other woman's hand from her face, pulling it into her lap. "This is going to sound strange, but I need you to trust me." Lena nodded. "We weren't together before yesterday. I picked up this thing at the DEO…" She fished the stones out of her pocket, "and suddenly you were in my apartment making dinner for us." Her voice went soft as she looked down at their hands, "You hated me and then you were just making me dinner. Um, if you take one of them, I think things will go back…back to normal."

"I don't understand, Kara."

"Just trust me, okay?" She took a deep breath. "I don't know if you're going to remember any of this, but I love you."

As Lena grabbed a stone from her open hand, she pulled her into a kiss. The world didn't turn upside down…Kryptonite didn't fall from the sky like acid rain…things were just normal. For Kara, at least…well, except for the fact that she was kissing the woman of her dreams.

Lena on the other hand was very confused. She was kissing her best friend who she hadn't had an actual conversation with in a month. She briefly considered pulling out of the kiss but Kara moaned and she _absolutely could not_.

Somewhere in the back of Kara's mind she wondered if she'd just gotten married on Saturn.


	3. The more, the merrier

Prompt: The more, the merrier

Rating: M

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* * *

Lena invited her to yet another Gala - this time it was the Annual L-Corp Foundation Holiday Gala. The room was filled with various celebrities, influencers, and otherwise independently wealthy attractive men and women. The far wall was lined with gift bags leading into tables decorated in gold and white full of endless appetizers and holiday-themed desserts. Lena was certain to maintain a mixture of traditional Hanukkah and Christmas treats upon realizing the Danvers family was Jewish (and only celebrated Christmas due to Kara's fascination with the holiday upon her arrival to Earth).

As discreetly as inhumanly possible, Kara shoveled potato pancakes into her mouth while following Lena across the room with her eyes. She was currently sweet-talking a major donor to the foundation who also just so happened to hold the patent to biotech Lena desperately wanted to use in her next project.

_He doesn't know what hit him_, Kara thought to herself with a smile.

As she returned to the buffet for a plate of cookies (her third), she heard a familiar voice behind her say, "Kara Danvers. I didn't expect to see you here."

Turning toward the voice, she spotted the source immediately: a heavily tattooed woman in a burgundy tailored suit. Kate Kane.

"Kate, hi!" She grinned, stepping closer. "You know Lena?"

"Doesn't everyone?" She gestured generally at the room, packed with only the most exclusive names (and pseudonyms).

Kara's eyes narrowed slightly in thought, looking past the vigilante's shoulder at the Luthor in question. "Well, no."

"Oh?" She followed Kara's thoughtful gaze, seeing she clearly lost her chance with this particular super back in Gotham. "That's too bad," she added flirtatiously. For all her superhuman abilities, the blonde didn't notice.

Lena, however, seemed to notice their watchful eyes as she raised an eyebrow in their direction. In return, Kara sent a dopey grin as she gestured happily at the cookies on her plate.

"Luthor is the corporate billionaire with less ink, then?"

Kara blushed, nodding. "How are things in Gotham?"

Kate updated her on Alice's latest attacks and The Crows' inability to contain her properly. Like two seasoned Generals, they became lost in intense discussion of battle strategy (though most of Kara's suggestions involved alien abilities Kate did not posses) when Lena snuck up behind them.

"Kara, I see you've met Kate Kane. Ms. Kane, it's a _pleasure_ to have Wayne Enterprises here tonight."

Kate met Lena's outstretched hand with her own. "Of course. I was just telling Kara what an absolute pleasure it is to be here."

_No, she wasn't. What is happening?_ Kara glanced between the two women.

"Do let me know if there's anything I can do to make your night more…_enjoyable_. We aim to please at L-Corp."

Kate's eyes lingered on Kara, then finally settling on Lena's face (before a slight detour to her obvious cleavage). "I'll be sure to let you know."

_Oh._

By the end of the night, the trio was stumbling into Lena's large hotel suite high above the Gala venue overlooking the streets of National City. As Kate peppered Lena's neck with kisses, Kara used her super-speed to rid the three of them of their clothes. Lena laughed at her sudden state of undress, "Eager?"

Kara ignored her girlfriend's remark, approaching the pair with a wolfish grin. She pushed Lena back against the door, beginning to place open-mouthed kisses along the CEO's chest. Her eyes followed the butch woman's movements as her own lips blazed a path down her girlfriend's breast, capturing a nipple in her mouth. Lena sighed into Kate's mouth as she felt the competing sensations of the tongue on her breast, circling her now taut nipple, and the tongue brushing her lips.

Lena felt the Kryptonian grin against her pale skin, placing feverish kisses along her stomach as she moved further toward her destination. Kate rolled her right nipple between her fingers as Kara cupped her left breast. Her senses were overwhelmed. She needed more. Snaking one hand down Kate's rigid abdominal muscles, her fingers met wet heat as she began to circle the other woman's clit. Kate moaned into her mouth and tightened her grip on her rosy nipple; in response Lena bit down on the vigilante's lower lip.

Kara continued her ministrations, now on her knees as she placed small nips and licks along her girlfriend's stomach…hips…thighs. Wrapping her arms around Lena's thighs, the Kryptonian seated the younger woman on her shoulders with ease. As she looked straight into her wet core she knew she could, and would, stay there forever. She leaned forward, sucking Lena's clitoris between her lips. As she flicked the sensitive bundle with her tongue a moan bubbled up from her throat.

"Oh fuck," Lena sighed.

Kate, whose eyes had been closed as her hips rolled against Lena's wandering fingers, looked down to see Kara's head moving between wide open thighs. She smirked through hooded eyes, reaching down to comb her fingers through blonde hair. "Good girl."

Kara moaned, reaching up blindly for the butch's thigh. Finding purchase, she accompanied her girlfriend's movements through slick folds as she began to piston two fingers in and out of their new lover's core. Met by a symphony of moans, she refocused on the wet flesh beneath her tongue. As she began to apply more pressure with each stroke she heard Lena hiss, "Yes. Fuck her fingers."

She used her super-speed to move her tongue at vibrating pace, pressing it delicately against her lover's engorged clitoris as she began to meet each thrust of Kate's hips. The hand in her hair grasped desperately, creating a delicious pain among the moans of the women above her. Lena's wetness coated her chin. Kate's walls gripped at her fingers, tighter with each thrust. Their moans grew louder, more cacophonous as their motions increased in desperation. They were both on the edge and Kara knew it wouldn't take much. In one swift, concentrated motion, she drove a finger into Lena's core as the two deep inside Kate began to vibrate. Both women came with a sharp gasp, tightening around her fingers in the most pleasant way imaginable.

Slowly easing the vibration of her tongue and fingers, she leaned back to place soft kisses on her girlfriend's abdomen and thighs. "Merry Christmas?"


	4. Lights

Prompt: Lights

Rating: K+

Note: According to , _Ieiu_ means mother.

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* * *

The comforting scent of hot chocolate and fresh baked sugar cookies greeted Lena Luthor like a warm hug when she entered her apartment. Finally, after a long day at work - she was home. She grinned as she placed her thick coat on a hook by the door. It appeared her wife was baking. She hoped Kara planned more than cookies for dinner. Within mere seconds, she was greeted by a literal hug that was lightyears more comforting than any baked good.

"Mama! You're home!" Came the small, excited voice at her feet.

Swiftly, she lifted the toddler up into her arms. Aoife, named for her mother, was a perfect combination of their features: thick, dark hair; bright blue eyes; and Kara's contagious excitement for…well, everything.

"I missed you! Is _Ieiu_ making cookies?"

The toddler grinned wide, wiggling happily in her mother's arms.

"Let's go help," she placed a kiss on top of her daughter's head. "Did you do anything fun today?"

Aoife babbled animatedly about the newest adventures of her favorite cartoon characters, which quickly devolved into chants for _Cookies! Cookies! Cookies! _

Their short walk to the kitchen found a sympathetic Kara, covered up to her elbows in various baking ingredients. "I just put the cookies in, Aoife. Let Mama have dinner and then we can decorate the tree," she said more to Lena than the young girl as she gestured to a pizza box on the counter.

Lena sent her a soft, loving smile. _Thank you_. She had sent her a text just before her afternoon all-staff meeting, followed by three trash can emojis, that said: _So stressed. Only the most processed junk can save me now._

Kara stepped forward, placing a kiss on her wife's lips. "Go sit on the couch. I'll bring you a slice."

Lena heaved a sigh of relief as she finally settled on the couch, kicking off her heels as she placed her now settled daughter in her lap. Aoife was immediately enraptured by the animated Christmas movie Kara must have put on before she arrived home from work. Soon, Kara sat next to them with two mugs of hot chocolate stacked on top of the half-empty pizza box. She shrugged as if to say _you're not getting up anytime soon_.

The CEO happily dug into three slices of pizza, hungrier than she initially thought. As she began to sip on her hot chocolate, she felt Aoife's small frame slump against her chest. Looking down, she saw her mirror image fast asleep as small hands gripped the hem of her sweater for dear life. She needn't hold so tight; there was no force on this planet or any other that could pull her away.

Turning to her wife, she whispered. "Tree tomorrow? I don't want her to miss it."

Kara smiled, "Yeah. Tomorrow."

Lena looked over to the boxes stacked near their Christmas tree, overflowing with tangled lights and mismatched ornaments. Somehow she was certain for all of their combined intelligence and abilities, without Aoife they would still be just as tangled and nowhere near as bright.


	5. Wind

Prompt: Wind

Rating: T

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* * *

Kara Zor-El loved flying. She loved the feel of wind rushing through her hair when she sped through the sky. It was so freeing. One would think her heart would burst out of her chest at the inhuman exertion, but it was the opposite. It soothed her. The cool jet-streams comforted her, hugging the contours of her body. On bad days (and some good), Kara would race out high above the crashing ocean - find sanctuary where there were no watchful eyes…and soar. Floating swiftly in-between gusts of wind, she let her body take her where it willed. Fingers flitted through foamy waves as she sipped down to brush past deep blue-green water; she flew up, up, up…as high as she could go before plummeting back to Earth, stopping just short of a catastrophic cannonball; jealousy and amazement filled her whenever she flew past a flock of birds…they were so innately of Earth. But then, so was she now.

When she left for college, Kara had to stop going on her joyrides (that's what Alex called them), because _what if someone sees you_. So, she stopped flying…well, unless she was late for class. And even then, she usually just ran _slightly_ faster than humanly possible. Just slightly. She needed those attendance points.

Then suddenly, she was Supergirl. She was flying all the time. But there were no birds or scenic views, just brutal fistfights and pain she didn't know she could feel. That is, until the day she met Lena Luthor.

The day she met Lena Luthor she started flying again. Really, truly flying. Somehow she always found herself racing to Lena Luthor's balcony, or another perilous ledge she had managed to throw herself from. The brunette CEO was an absolute menace. What if she was at work? What if she was in the middle of a fight with Rao-knows-what? What was she supposed to say? Somehow she didn't think _Hold on, Lena Luthor's thrown herself off of a building again_ would work. Regardless, she continued to run to the woman's rescue. Because it was _Lena Luthor_.

After the second incident, she learned to tune into the businesswoman's heartbeat and listen for any irregularities. She learned quickly that Lena's heart rate was constantly erratic. Kara wasn't particularly surprised that a woman in her position dealt with stress and anxiety in her daily life, but the level and frequency at which her heart rate spiked was concerning. The Kryptonian learned to listen in - briefly, of course - to make sure the brunette was safe. Sometimes she'd hear men at board meetings boasting about their latest project, the tail-end of news reports about Lex, or waitstaff asking for Lena's order. She even heard Lena's (former) assistant get fired. Very rarely was there imminent danger, but there was always concern.

After one particularly aggressive spike, Kara overheard Lena crying as she slammed what sounded like a phone on her desk. She had seen her just a few hours earlier, asking for quotes on an article about a major donation L-Corp made in partnership with Wayne Enterprises to Arkham Asylum ("Funding specifically allocated for better care and resources," she had said). Without a second thought, Supergirl touched down on the CEO's balcony.

She ventured forward tentatively. "Ms. Luthor? Kara Danvers said you wanted to speak to me." Lie.

Quickly wiping at her face, the disheveled brunette greeted her. "Supergirl, hello."

"I'm sorry to intrude. I can come back later…" She gestured to the door, "…or if you want, I can stay."

Lena looked at her, confused. _Why was Supergirl in her office? And in this moment of them all?_ She took a sip of the scotch that was resting on her desk.

There was a beat of silence before the Kryptonian spoke again. "Have you ever been flying?" Kara stopped herself. Of course she hasn't, you idiot. "I mean, do you _want_ to? It usually makes me feel better is all."

There was something oddly comforting about the hero. Something decidedly familiar. She sighed, picking up her raincoat from the back of her chair. The day couldn't get _worse_, she supposed. "Lead the way, Supergirl."

Kara grinned as she stepped out onto the balcony. Lena followed close behind.

"So, what do I do?"

"Well, step one…" she narrated, pulling the headstrong woman into a hug. Lena's body was stiff. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had hugged her and the muscle memory was gone. "Oh." Kara paused, "Should I not have? You'll need to hold on to fly. We don't have to." She was backpedalling quickly and slipping right out of her confident Supergirl persona.

The pair blushed, each folding in on themselves though their bodies were still pressed close together. With a surge of confidence, Lena wrapped her arms around the hero's waist. The intimacy less daunting this time, she rested her head in the cradle of the other woman's neck. "Where to?" She asked.

"What's your favorite place? The beach? Paris? Hawaii?" _Anywhere but the embarrassing sucking void of this balcony?_

"I miss Ireland," She said sadly into the blonde's skin.

Lena was certain they could have touched down in mere milliseconds, but Supergirl took her time. Let her feel the wind against her face…let her see the cityscapes, the mountaintops, the prairies, and everything in between the ocean waves beneath them. But they were there. She was home. She sat next to Supergirl on the Cliffs of Moher with the icy Irish wind whipping against her face and she could finally breathe again. They sat there for an hour before the other woman asked what happened and she wasn't sure why, but she explained every detail. If it was anyone else, any_where_ else, she wouldn't deign to acknowledge Lillian's shortcomings. But here, she was back in her mother's arms and she was okay.


	6. Angel

Prompt: Angel

Rating: T+

Note: According to _Ieiu _= mother / _Uldif _= forever | In the same universe as Lights.

Find me on tumblr at kilyun

* * *

It was 2086. The years passed more quickly than Kara expected, but then time with Lena always did. It felt like just yesterday that she walked into L-Corp with Clark and saw her for the first time, but yesterday...above all else, she knew yesterday wasn't right. No, that day would forever be seared into her retinas like a solar flare, but none of the light. Yesterday was dark. All black and _I'm sorry_. She never knew there could be a worse sight than watching Krypton explode, but it was her wife's funeral after all.

Staring at her tired reflection in the bathroom mirror, she wiped the toothpaste from her lips. She noticed the slightest hint of wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and wanted to scream…to level the city...wreck the planet. She would do anything that would bring Lena back, but nothing would so she would stand in the bathroom and stare at her reflection until something changed. Until she was not the healthiest, youngest-looking, most impervious 120 year old for three galaxies. Until her wife was not a human woman who spent the last seventy years more concerned with the safety of bulletproof aliens than her very real mortality.

But that was Lena. Always more concerned with _her Kryptonians_ than herself. Aiofe was grown now, with powers and children of her own. Kara wanted to warn her about the absolute agony that was ahead but Lena would never allow it. So she would stay in this bathroom. Maybe today she'd shower.

—

They had just celebrated their second anniversary when Lena looked at her, more nervous than she'd seen her in years.

"Have you ever thought about…kids?" She chewed her lip anxiously. Lena had assumed from day one that she and Kara couldn't have biological children and being National City's protector meant her partner kept rather unorthodox work hours, so childcare was not ideal. She wouldn't have asked, either - but she saw the way Kara was with children. The way her eyes lit up when a little girl ran to her at a press conference (gushing _I love you Supergirl_, yet Kara managed to always be more delighted than the young child that leapt into her arms), how she absolutely relished her days making rounds at Luthor Family Children's Hospital, or the way she - just short of literally - floated around when she became _Aunt_ Kara.

Kara looked up in tentative surprise. "Yeah, I mean I love Kal. But I'd like to…with you, if you want? If that's what you're asking?" Lena gave her an encouraging smile. "I'm not sure how it would work. Kryptonians have more chromosomes than humans, it's a more complex genome. We'd have to be careful."

Lena just rested her head on the hero's shoulder, "We'll figure it out."

After the first week of brainstorming - which the brunette later claimed to be the hottest thing she'd ever witnessed, including when Kara smashed through solid concrete with her bare hands - Lena gave her a soft smile over a stack of old textbooks and said, "This seems redundant, but marry me?" Kara, of course, said yes.

After two years of rigorous testing combining the knowledge of MIT and the Kryptonasn Science Guild, Aoife was born. She grew in a pod, from the tiniest speck of an atom to a real baby, and this time Kara was terrified for a whole new reason. They had no idea what to expect (there were certainly no _What To Expect When You're Expecting A Human-Alien Hybrid Baby_ parenting books) and she couldn't wait to find out.

When Aoife was eleven, her powers emerged. Upon checking to ensure she was asleep one school night, they found that yes, she was asleep - but she was also floating a foot above her mattress. Lena made a joke about alien puberty and Rao, was Kara not prepared for periods and powers. Neither was Lena when two weeks later, thanks to her human biology, it became her responsibility to explain why there are some things band-aids can't cover up.

Within a month, Lena got her first grey hair. She hated it, but Kara loved it. It was so perfectly human. "I wish I could do that," she said. Days later she realized - in spite of their years of research - how little she had processed the differences between her wife's body and her own. Lena would age. She would not, at least not nearly as quickly. Not on Earth. For the next month, with whatever free time she could scrape together, she was in the DEO or L-Corp labs. Theoretically, if _she_ was powerful under a yellow sun, then Lena would be powerful under a different sun. She just needed to harness it. Find it, whatever _it_ was.

It didn't take her long to synthesize red solar energy into a pendant. As soon as she put it on, she was powerless again. It worked. Then, she cycled through every solar energy source she could think of - and even more with J'onn and Brainy's help, but _nothing_ was human-reactive. Humans simply hadn't evolved enough. So, with a heavy but decisive heart she came home with two pendants. Aoife was off in her bedroom as she found Lena in the kitchen - one eye on the stove while she worked quickly at her laptop sending too many emails for someone who claimed to be out of the office.

"Okay, so I've been thinking. If I'm powerful on Earth, why wouldn't you be powerful somewhere else, right?" Lena nodded. Kara stared, waiting for the information to catch up with her wife.

"Wait, what?"

"In theory, humans should be effected by a different sun like me. But they're not. Not as far as I could find. And you're just going to keep aging and _I'm not_." Her voice was desperate now, needing the other woman to connect the dots. _You're going to die and I'm not._ "I tried to find something, but I couldn't. I could wear one of these." She pulled a sealed metal canister from her bag, handing it to her wife.

Carefully, Lena unscrewed the capsule. Inside were two necklaces: one with a red glowing gem, the other was a mixture of yellow and green. "Is that…?"

"Kryptonite? Yeah."

Her eyes were hot, wet fire. "No. Absolutely not, Kara."

"I'm _sixty-four_ and I got carded last week. I need to live my life with you." _I don't want to live my life without you._ "I don't care what it means for the rest of the world."

"I know, love. _Trust me_, I've thought about it. But there has to be another way. I won't let you poison yourself."

"The Red Sun isn't poison," she grumbled petulantly.

"Would you give it to Aoife?" Lena raised one, perfect eyebrow in question.

Kara knew she wouldn't and she never brought it up again. Lena started her own experiments shortly after, but they were never successful enough that she could bring herself to speak of them with her wife; only bringing false hope to crush her with later.

—

It was after Alex's funeral that she told her. Lena's hair was long and silver, but Kara still looked even younger than their daughter. She did yoga with Kara every morning to prevent unnecessary injuries, but nevertheless her body was fragile. Kara was the consummate gentlewoman: holding open doors, carrying all the groceries, lifting her in and out of the car when she was too tired to move. She never stopped loving her. _Uldif_, Kara said. Forever.

"I looked, you know."

"Looked for what, hon?" She asked, confused as she wiped down the counter.

"The sun." Kara stopped, looking up. They hadn't discussed this in years. "I talked to Alex about it, too. We agreed. Any time with you is better than no time at all. And you, Aoife, the kids…you'll always have each other. You'll figure it out."

—

Kara heard Aoife call her name - "_Ieiu_? Are you in there?" - softly from the other side of the door. Shutting off the shower, she called back, "Yeah, I'll be right there!" They'd figure it out.


	7. Ashes and soot

Prompt: Ashes and soot

Rating: G

Notes: According to : _te zhao_ \- my love / _ieiu_ \- mother

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* * *

Aoife spent the entire week insisting that she would stay up to wait for Santa. As much as her mothers tried to dissuade her - he won't visit us if we're not asleep, they said - Aoife was certain Santa couldn't be that mean. And she was also certain that this was the year she was finally going to meet him. So, Kara spent half the week with Winn configuring a new suit: bright red with a crisp white House of El crest. She was thankful her powers didn't include shrinking like Atom, because if she went through the chimney should would be absolutely covered in at least a year of built up ash. Still, even coming from the staircase she stumbled into the living room of her childhood home, nearly knocking over the fully trimmed tree.

The voice of her tired, hopeful six-year old came from the couch. "Santa?" Unwilling to disappoint, Kara entered her classic Supergirl stance - hands on hips and chin held high. With a faux-deep affectation, she spoke. "I heard you wanted to see me, Aoife."

A giggle resonated from the couch, "_Ieiu_! You're not Santa!"

Though sad she was caught (she _really_ wanted to see Aoife's reaction to the 'real' Santa), Kara was delighted to hear her daughter so happy. "Do I still get cookies?" She asked in her own voice, glancing down at note beside a plateful of cookies that read For Santa.

"Nope," she said succinctly.

"Fine," Kara sighed, flopping dramatically on the couch next to her daughter. "I guess I'll just have to eat you!" She said in a mock-threatening voice, before blowing a raspberry on the girl's cheek.

"_Ieiu_!" Aoife laughed, wiggling her arm out of her mother's loose grasp.

"C'mon, kid," Kara smiled, ruffling her daughter's hair, "It's bedtime."

"What about Santa," she whined.

"I promise he'll come, but you need to sleep. You're gonna be too tired to open your presents."

At the thought of no presents Aoife relented, but asked, "Can I sleep here? Just in case." Kara nodded, settling back down on the couch with a pillow in her lap.

Lena padded softly down the stairs the next morning for a cup of coffee when she found Kara - still dressed in her bright red Christmas suit - asleep upright on the couch with their daughter curled next to her. As soft fingers brushed her face gently, Kara woke. "Hey…do you want to get dressed?" Lena whispered, smiling lovingly at the absolute dork she married.

"Oh, uh," She looked down at herself groggily, "I probably should, yeah." Shaking the cobwebs from her head, she made use of her speed, resting her daughter's head on the couch without waking her.

Lena wrapped her arms around the Kryptonian's waist, speaking softly. "Good morning, Super Santa. Did she believe it?"

"No," she grumbled stubbornly.

Lena laughed softly, raising an eyebrow as if to say _I told you so_. "Go get dressed, _te zhao_."

When Kara returned in sweatpants and a t-shirt there were two cups of coffee (her's in a House of El mug) on the counter and a stack of toasted Eggo waffles to sustain her until Eliza began cooking their Christmas brunch.


	8. Warm bath

Prompt: Warm bath

Rating: M

Find me on tumblr at kilyun

* * *

Supergirl was called in to fight a horde of invading Almeraci hellbent on taking the Earth for themselves when, just as she threw the last of them in the general direction of the DEO (she was about a mile above the city, but her aim was usually accurate), her powers flared. She came hurtling down toward skyscrapers with an _Alex, I'm flaring out_. She heard J'onn quickly jump into action _I've got you_ before she could hit the concrete below.

She was fucking tired. Every muscle ached. She felt each individual blow she sustained in the fight and finally understood the human phrase "hit by a bus," because she truly had been…and it was not pleasant. After Alex finally released her from the DEO Med Bay, she sulked through the door of her shared apartment. Lena immediately recognized a difference; the slump in her shoulders, the obvious lack of confidence in her strut. She reeked trepidation.

When Lena leaned in for a comforting hug, her usually immovable girlfriend grimaced. "What happened?" She asked, concerned.

"I solar flared. My powers are gone."

Lena had seen her solar flare before. It was never this bad. She studied the blonde for any visible injuries. The worry was clear in her eyes as she caught her girlfriend's line of sight.

"You should see the other guy," Kara tried, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

Placing a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek, she suggested, "Why don't I order some pizza and we take a bath?"

Kara nodded her head against the brunette's.

"I'll order and you can put your things down. Shouldn't take long." Kara groaned in response, burying her head into Lena's shoulder. Lena laughed, "You can do it."

After ordering three extra-large meat lovers' pizzas (extra meat, extra cheese) at Kara's request, she found the Kryptonian in the bathroom. "Should be here in an hour." She watched briefly as Kara, her fingers now less agile, struggled with the buttons on her shirt. "Here, let me."

Stepping forward, Lena gently unfastened the buttons of her girlfriend's pink striped Oxford. As she pushed it off her shoulders she was careful not to put excess pressure on temporarily fragile skin. Brushing her fingers softly around Kara's ribcage, she undid the clasp of her tan bra before moving to help rid her of her jeans and underwear. Less carefully, Lena removed her own clothing before leaning down to start the bath. Settling herself in the tub, she motioned for Kara to join her as it filled with hot water. Gently, Kara rested her back against Lena…sighing into an embrace even warmer than the rising water.

The pair sat in comfortable silence for long, relaxing moments before Kara leaned forward to shut off the water.

As she moved back, Lena pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. "Is it helping?"

"Yeah, a little," she rolled her neck forward to stretch the aching muscles. She hated this; she was so used to being healthy, being _super_. As far as she was concerned, Lena was the one with powers. She worked endlessly…staying late at the office, going in early or on weekends. And at home, she was never too tired for Kara or inconvenienced in any way. Kara wasn't sure she could say the same if she was human. Lena, in spite of all her struggles, made it seem effortless most days.

"Can I try something?" Lena asked.

Kara nodded and Lena reached forward, beginning to massage the tension out of the blonde's stiff neck and shoulders. She moved steadily down strong arms, easing the aching tension out. As Kara lolled her head back - sighing out in half-pain half-pleasure - Lena moved her fingers to clasp over the top of Kara's, drawing one hand over tanned thighs and taut abs. "One thing that always helps me is…" she trailed off, punctuating her sentence by cupping Kara's breast and massaging the other hand between her thighs.

Kara let out a surprised moan, "I can see how that might help."

Lena could hear the smirk in her voice, but continued on. "If you're too sore to do the work, I'm more than happy to."

Kara's hands relaxed, slipping away into the water. In response, Lena began to rub slow circle around her clit as she rolled one hard nipple between her fingers. Into the blonde's ear she whispered, "You don't have to come…just feel good. Relax. Feel my hands, feel the water, feel your body." As she continued to circle the sensitive flesh, she felt her girlfriend's body relax further into the water as she opened herself up to the sensation. She placed a kiss on the side of Kara's head, "You're so beautiful."

As she felt her girlfriend's hands move across her body, watched her fingers move between her thighs - Kara realized she needn't hold back. For now, she was human and as awful as that could be…right now it meant she could feel _everything_ without fear of hurting Lena. She loved the innate vulnerability of it, as Lena held her and cared for her needs - though her aching muscles had been forgotten, she didn't mind. The emotional eroticisim of it was overwhelming. "More," she demanded. Though, what more of, she didn't know.

Lena obliged, quickening the pace of her fingers and tending more feverishly to her breasts as she placed wet kisses and bites along her neck. "You're doing so good."

Kara rolled her hips up at the unexpected praise as Lena nipped at her ear.

"So good," she sighed back to Lena. Her body felt incredible; lightyears from the pain she was in when she entered the bathroom. Lena's hands better than any sun lamp.

Lena began to slow her movements, caressing Kara's clitoris slowly as she placed soft kisses to her neck and shoulders. "The pizza's gonna be here soon…but we might be more comfortable in the bedroom."

As Kara climbed eagerly out of the tub she made a mental note to schedule a solar flare at least once a month if _this_ was the solution.


	9. Festive

Prompt: Festive

Rating: T+

Find me on tumblr at kilyun

* * *

_Subject: Holiday Party_

_Attention CatCo Staff:_

_Friday, December 13th at 7pm will be the annual Holiday Party! We will converge on the 10th floor, utilizing the attached conference rooms. Please be sure to clear your desks of any sensitive materials, as we will have guests. _

_Complete the attached survey by COB to indicate your dietary restrictions and if you will be bringing a plus one._

_Due to past years, we have once again decided it would be best to not include children in this event. They are, however, welcome to the Spring Picnic. That said, please remember this is a place of business and conduct yourself as such._

_Happy Holidays!_

_Human Resources_

Kara groaned as she finished reading the email, quickly completing the survey (no restrictions, no plus one). It was one time. She didn't know why HR insisted on bringing it up every year. And it wasn't that big of a deal. There were no children present, like they continued to insinuate. She wasn't a degenerate. Yet still, every goddamn year Human Resources sent the email making her want to open up a hole in the Earth with her heat vision and sink through to the lava pits at its core. And still, every year she got a follow up email from CatCo Owner Lena Luthor.

_Subject: Fwd: Holiday Party_

_;)_

_Lena Luthor_

_CEO, L-Corp_

_Owner, CatCo Worldwide Media_

The response was brief, but still had the intended effect. She'd definitely fuck Lena Luthor in the stairwell again this year. It _was_ tradition, after all.


	10. Once a year

Prompt: Once a year

Rating: K+

Find me on tumblr at kilyun

* * *

Lena Luthor _hated_ her birthday. It was year after year of disappointment since…well, since she became Lena Luthor. She did everything she could to avoid celebrating the day, instead preferring to work through the day and maybe if the mood struck, treat herself to a glass of wine.

On her ninth birthday, Lillian threw a crisp hundred dollar bill at her after dinner and said, "Get yourself something nice." It was clear they had forgotten it was her birthday as the so-called gift only came after Isabelle, their maid, brought Lena a large slice of chocolate cake. With the warmest grin Lena had seen in months, she said, "There's more in the kitchen, birthday girl." Isabelle was fired the next day.

Next, there was Maeve. A young Irish woman in Metropolis on a work visa who sounded like home and made sure the kitchen smelled of it as well. When Lillian caught Lena practicing what little Gaelic she remembered with the redhead, she was fired on the spot. It was the day before her thirteenth birthday. Maeve had promised her soda bread and a trip to the museum. She, once again, sat in her room with a book until Lex poked his head in and quietly intruded, "Mother said to give you this. Happy Birthday." Lillian never bothered giving her the cash herself after the first year.

As she grew into adulthood, it became an annual transfer into her back account - usually followed by a scathing phone call. I_ don't know why I bother you sending you money, now that you're running Luthor Corp into the ground. Alien lover_, she'd say. The words would drip with the bile Lena was certain Lillian's own mother used decades prior toward people of their own planet. After the third year, she learned to send the call to voicemail.

This year would be different, or at least that's what Kara promised her through a mouthful of potstickers.

_"You can't hate your birthday!" She nearly choked._

_"Well, I do." She raised an eyebrow. "I usually spend it working."_

_"Nope! Not this year. Tomorrow, you're with me. I'll plan the whole day." Kara promised…and she didn't hate it._

Their first stop was, to Lena's delight, the Natural History & Science Museum of National City.

Kara immediately saw her eyes light up and interjected, "There's a new exhibit, comparing the elements on Earth and Krypton. I can give you the Kryptonian insider's version," She said with a secret smile. "And before we go in, this is for you..." Out of her bag, she pulled a small box that held a single cupcake from Lena's favorite bakery. It was their special red velvet cake with a House of El sugar-crest resting in the cream cheese icing.

Lena immediately jumped into her arms, pulling the strong blonde into a hug.

"It's just a cupcake!" Kara giggled. "Wait 'til you see the cake I got you for dessert."


	11. Chimney

Prompt: Chimney  
Rating: K+  
_Ieiu _\- mother (Ref: )

Find me on tumblr at kilyun

* * *

Aoife was in an absolute panic, and therefore, her mother was on the brink of a meltdown. Lena Luthor's wife, Kara was the patient one. On days like these…when Aoife was screaming and crying and stomping her feet and she couldn't help but hear her mother's voice at the back of her head, begging her to shut that child up, she needed Kara. And Kara never failed to swoop in at the last minute and save the day. She was Supergirl, after all.

But tonight, Kara was running errands. They found the one toy store in a thirty mile radius that still stocked the toy Aoife was begging for and Kara insisted on going there in person. _Online never works. They'll just give it to the first person that shows up at the store._ At the time, she rolled her eyes and called her wife a boomer, but truthfully she appreciated the overzealous effort.

So, while Kara was out attempting to secure Aoife's dream present, Lena was in their apartment attempting to reassure the young girl that there would, in fact, be a Christmas.

"We don't have a chimney, Mama!" She was desperate, as tears bubbled out of her eyes and down her bright red cheeks.

Lena took a deep breath. She was not her mother, never would be. Her heart ached as her daughter sobbed at the thought of going without on Christmas morning._ What if Santa forgot her? _Lena stepped forward to rest on the arm of the couch next to her frantic daughter.

"Come here, Aoife." The young girl leapt into her arms, still gasping through her sobs. The brunette rubbed slow, soothing circles on the child's back with the tips of her fingers. As her daughter's breathing calmed, she spoke. "I promise Santa will come. Even if I have to build a chimney myself, Santa will be here. And can I tell you a secret?" Aoife nodded into her mother's chest, not daring peer out at the world just yet. "Santa _loves_ Supergirl. He wouldn't miss the chance to see her just because she doesn't have a silly chimney!"

Aoife pulled back in excited surprise. Her eyes were wide. "_Ieiu_ knows Santa?"

"Oh, yeah," She smiled. "She'll put in a good word."

She was going to have to text Kara about this before Aoife bombarded her with thirty rapid-fire questions about her best friend Santa when she walked in the door. _One issue at a time_, she sighed as the kitchen timer went off and Aoife yelled "dinner!"


	12. Bah humbug

Prompt: Bah humbug

Rating: K+

_Ieiu_ \- mother (Ref: )

Find me on tumblr at kilyun

* * *

It started innocently enough. Aoife came home tired from school, just like she always did. She complained she was hungry, just like she always did. She bounced from the chair to the couch to the barstools at the kitchen counter, just like she always did. Then, she started itching. At first it was her elbow. Kara shrugged. _Probably just a bug bite_, she thought. Ever the drama queen, she whined _it's so itchy I'm gonna die!_ and Kara told her to go ask her mother for some lotion. If the lotion didn't help, the placebo effect would fix the problem.

The next day, Lena began itching absentmindedly at the back of her hand and Jess sent her home. Kara received one succinct text in summary: _Fucking chicken pox?! _

Apparently, as Kara learned that day, Luthors didn't get chicken pox - or at least Luthor children didn't, and suddenly a very adult Lena Luthor was elbow-deep in calamine lotion while she wore her worst pajamas (a baggy, ripped MIT t-shirt and an old part of paint-stained basketball shorts). Next to her was Aoife, in a similar predicament - except for this occasion her best pajamas (an oversized Supergirl t-shirt with matching pants) were an absolute must.

Kara sat between the two brunettes on the couch, attempting to appease both surly patients with an endless supply of anti-itch cream and the latest Christmas movies available on Netflix. Aoife was happily sipping a warm cup of hot chocolate, following the characters on screen as Lena rolled her eyes at the couple onscreen (she loved to hate the saccharine films, but every once in a while Kara caught Lena crying over the inevitable Hallmark movie ending).

Lena groaned into her wife's neck, "Why couldn't she have your immune system? I'm too old for this."

Kara laughed softly, hugging the brunette's head into her shoulder, "You can do it. Should just be a few more days."

"Days?" She whined unhappily.

Over her shoulder, Kara asked pointedly, "How're you doing over there, Aoife?"

"I'm good, _Ieiu_! Not itchy right now. The cream helped." The elementary schooler chimed happily.

Kara smiled, "I'm glad. Eat your soup, kiddo." Then, laughed as she heard her wife grumble a string of Kryptonian profanities into her neck. It was, in fact, the most impressive use of expletives in her native language she had heard in years. Possibly ever. But it was Lena - if anyone could turn the Kryptonian moral majority on its head, it was her.

Lena rarely got sick and when she did she was impossible. Furious at her own body for being vulnerable to even a moment, she couldn't help but focus on all the work she was missing. She wasn't usually this grumpy, but with Christmas looming in the week ahead Lena was understandably overwhelmed. "Do you want some tea? Maybe your laptop?"

Lena shook her head, burrowing further into her wife's arms.

Pulling out her phone, Kara quietly typed a message to her wife. _Eliza offered to do Christmas at Alex's instead of Midvale, if you two are still sick. I can bring the gifts there and they'll cook, etc. _

Lena lifted her head, a tired smile crossing her face as she read the unsent message. She nodded, mouthing 'thank you,' as some of the tension released from her shoulders.

"I love you," Kara said before placing a soft kiss on the brunette's head. "Now, eat your soup."


End file.
